The Swing of the Hammer
by Finnickisawesome
Summary: Clove volunteers for the Hunger Games, but has to face killing her best friend Cato. The Hunger Games from Clove's POV
1. Chapter 1

The Swing of the Hammer

**Authors' Note: **

**Thank you for reading this! As co-authors of this story, my fellow author and I are going to be alternating chapters of this story. This is our first fanfiction, so please tell us what you think!**

Clove's POV

I burst through the French doors into my large spacious room and out into my little balcony over looking the mountains of District 2, fuming with anger and rage. I'm still sweating from the sprint from the Academy to back home. Training hasn't been dismissed yet, so I'm home unusually early, which causes my mother to come wandering up stairs for an explanation. I shoot her an evil look and growl under my breath which sends her backing down into the hallway. She's afraid of me alright, any sane person would be too, even without the knowledge that I carry three knives with me at all times. One on my back and two in my jacket. Even the instructors at the Training Academy are, which is why no one came running after me, no tried to stop me from just walking out, or in my case, sprinting. No one except him.

Cato's here within minutes. But I knew he would come, so I already locked my door. I don't want to see him. Not after what just happened….

The day had started out like all the others, except today was the face off. Every year, the day before the reaping, all the 18 year old kids at the Academy face off by gender. The two winners volunteer at the reaping, and go with off to the capitol with every intention of coming back. Being only 15, I automatically was not part of the selection, but I still was allowed to watch, with all the other people actually paying money to see the tournaments. But I had other plans.

I saw Cato at the end of the hallway, staring at the bulletin board. My relationship with him is weird; I'm his best friend, but he's my frenemy. I suppose that if I wasn't part of the family I'm in now, that he would be my best friend as well, but my father would never allow it. My father is a strong, wealthy man who owns five granite mines in the northern part of District 2. He once was 18 too, like Cato, and had been training at the Academy since he was seven like all of us. It was his year, his year to win, his last year to participate in the Hunger Games. Of course, he won the face off, but he barely beat his friend Boulder, to the title. Boulder had anger issues, and at the reaping where my father was supposed to volunteer, Boulder beat him to it. Boulder won, came back, and had a son named Cato. My father lost his chance at fame and fortune, and his best friend. That didn't stop him from seeking revenge though. My father stole Boulder's girlfriend, the one he told my father was the love of his life, and the one he was going to propose to. My father got Boulder's girl, Sandy, to fall in love with him, and leave Boulder before he even got a chance to come home. He convinced Boulder's father to give him a top ranking job at the mines, and eventually turned into his second son, while Boulder was busy on the Victory Tour. When Boulder's father died three months later, all the mines went to my father, making him a very wealthy man, maybe even as wealthy as Boulder.

For decades, my family has been known for our strong, athletic fighters. So it just so happened that I was to carry on the family tradition. I got my strength and skill from my father, who trained me even before I was seven, the age when I could be entered into the Training Academy. My stunning looks comes from my beautiful mother, Sandy. Every one says that they see her in me, and sometimes, I can even catch Cato's father, Boulder having to look away from me with resent. Altogether I would make a splendid tribute for the Hunger Games. I plan to go into the arena and come back a victor, but I'm not going to wait until I'm eight teen, like how it is accustomed to in District 2. I'm not going to risk being stood up for my spot by some girly princess craving attention. Not like my father. I'm smarter than that. Even as I plan going into the arena early, I wouldn't have chosen this year to go. About a month ago, though, my father called me into his library at home, and told me he thought it would be best if I volunteered this year. I already knew the reason why before he could tell me. For years, my father urged me to beat Cato in a fight, and since then I have. But that wasn't enough to satisfy his hunger for revenge on Boulder and his family. Beating Cato just created our one way "friendship". Now my father wanted me to volunteer during Cato's year so then I could have a chance to kill him on live tv. This does sound kind of tempting considering what a jerk he can sometimes be, but it wouldn't be completely fair because he trusts me as a friend. But my father's wishes come first. And so do mine.

So today, when I walked into the hall of the Academy, I had every intention of volunteering, whether I got picked at the face off or not. To get Cato's attention, and to just scare him and see him shudder for fun, I decided to surprise him. I took one of my three knives, and threw it between his ankles so it would land in the wall he was facing. Cato didn't react, being so involved in the bulletin board. I could tell that what ever he was reading was making him angry because he put his hands on his hips in protest. I threw my other two knives between him arms and onto the wall. _Can't ignore that, you jerk. _I thought.

He did notice this and yanked all three knives out of the wall and turned me way, and yelled "CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS! The weekly newsletter has Stoney down as most likely to win the face off. Well will I show them. I don't get what the trainers see in him. That little wimp. He just goes here so he wont get fat." Cato crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it at some unfortunate 8 year old.

"Maybe he is really strong, and you're the one who's not noticing that you're the actual wimp." I said teasingly.

"Yeah right, when you're afraid of knives." His anger had gone down by then and we headed to the main gym where the face offs are held.

I continued to walk into the 18 year old girls section which caused confusion from Cato. " Where're you going? You're not eight teen."

"What is this, a night club? Need to see some ID? Since when are you a bouncer?" I said.

" Since now." Cato looked genuinely worried because he knew I'm the best of the girls and that I could easily win the face off and be his District partner.

"Shh." I put my finger to my lip and slipped in line leaving Cato standing there with a concerned look. I wasn't supposed to care. I was a mission, to defend my family's honor.

**Review review review! Please, just to tell us that someone is actually reading this story. IF we get like one review, (that could be you) we will publish more chapters. :) Thanks for reading, and come back again later this week for more!**


	2. Chapter 2

As I walked into the face off line, some of the girls backed away and others just smirked at my sight. _I could kill any of these girls if I had the chance, _I thought.

In the face offs, for reasons of safety, we wear protective helmets and masked and padded vests. As I waited in line and watched the girls as they battled each other using the close combat weapon of there choice in three rounds. Most of the girls I recognized from the academy, but there was one girl that I don't remember. She looked about my height and had dark hair and eyes with tan skin. She was beating every girl she battled and looked to be my biggest competitor.

I watched as the defeated girls walked off towards the bleachers to watch the remaining girls fight. When my turn came around, I was set to battle a pathetic looking girl who looked like she came to the Academy on a scholarship. Her weapon of choice was a sword, but I quickly beat her with two knives off my belt.

Battle after battle went by, becoming more boring by the minute. Then, after a while, the final six were left. The brown haired girl was still in the face offs; and at that time we had to show our distance combat skills to the academy's "Gamemakers"

The mysterious girl went first. She threw all of her tomahawks and almost all of them hit the target's bullseye. All of the other girls went, and they all shot and threw decently, but not as good as the brown haired girl. I waas last to go. I un-ziped my coat and selected my favorite knife and got in position to throw it. It hit the target from twenty feet, then thirty feet, and lastly I threw the rest of my knives from forty feet away.

I collected my knives and placed them in their holsters. I walked to the benches at the edge of the temporary girls' side of the gym. I thought about the the brunette haired girl, _She probably came from District 1, _I thought. I also assumed that Cato was still in the running for the eighteen year-old tribute title, I wasn't sure. I did know that Cato's distance combat score was not very good because he only specializes in sword fighting. I wished I could fight him, but you and your parents are only permitted to watch your gender.

I was getting bored of sitting so I decided to see what the boys are doing. I sneaked over to the curtain that has been set up to separate the gym in half. I peaked my head into the boys' side of the gym. I saw a group of eighteen year-olds talking very close to where I was stood, Cato was with them. One the boys made a sly motion over towards my direction like he saw me. Then Cato walked over to where I was standing, un-sheathed his sword and pointed the tip dangerously close to my neck and said, "Remember, no girls allowed." and started to walk away and said "Nice throwing Clove." He put his sword in his sheath and i could only guess he had a smile on his face.

Then as I looked around I saw the brown haired girl staring at me from around the corner.


	3. Chapter 3

Clove's POV

_What is this girl's deal?_ I thought to myself as she turned away at the sight of me. Just then Mandy Morris, a notorious coach's pet and tattletale, and her group of pathetic followers came up to mystery girl, looked her up and down for a minute, and then announced out loud, "I knew it. I knew something wasn't right."

"Cooooooach!" she shouted. "This girl right here isn't 18. At most all she could be is 15. " As the main coach started to walk up, Mandy gave the girl an obnoxious whispered "Gotcha" But of course Mandy wouldn't dare tell on me,

because she was one of the many people who was aware of my amazing knife and combat skills.

Just as the coach came, for a further explanation, I cut Mandy off and took over by saying, "Never mind coach, it's just nothing." Why was I covering for this girl? At least now, she owed me one.

A very ticked off looking Mandy marched away, which left me alone with the girl. "Let me guess, 14, District 1 transfer, parents are… Peacekeepers?"

"Pretty much." mumbled the girl. "But I'm turning 15 in two weeks. How did you guess about my parents being Peacekeepers?" she asked.

"That's the only reason people transfer. And you don't look like you've got very much money." said as I looked down at her plain sneakers. "The only reason you'd be training free of charge is if you were a Peacekeeper's daughter."

"I'm Topaz by the way. Topaz Sparkle Shimmer."

"Clove." I answered curtly.

"Look," I said, getting straight to the point, "You may be new to District 2, but around here you either have to be 18, or extremely skilled person who deserves to win, like me, to volunteer at the reaping. You can still pull your name from the face off. You're 14. I'm not about to let you jeopardize my chances of becoming a victor. "

The quiet little fourteen year old that I talked to a minute ago was instantly replaced by a snarling, competitive, girl.

"You may think that you have the lay of the land here, but I'm about to show you proud District 2's a little something we called fighting. Expect to see me on television this year, _Clove."_

An hour later the head Coaches and judges announced the results of the face offs:

"The 18 year old boy representative is Cato Calfloyd."

Cato exchanged high fives with the rest of the boys and pumped his fist up in the air. I gave him a smile from across the room.

"Now. For the Girls. The representative this year will be Nollie Stoneridge."

It took me a moment to process what the announcer just said. I had already started walking towards the platform, but stopped myself. Everyone in the Training Center looked shocked. Even Nollie Stoneridge. Everyone except one of the head coaches, who was just shaking his head, and Topaz.

Nollie, a blonde cheerleader, who just happened to have a lot of upper body strength, screamed and hugged her friends.

I made my way across the gym to Topaz who was smirking.

"Like you said, no one volunteers who's under the age of 18. If I cant go, then neither can you."

"You little SNITCH!" I shouted. "How did you know my age?"

"Read the bulletin board sometime. Your entire profile is up there."

This made me so angry, that a pulled out one of my knives and slashed it across her face, over one eye and down the other cheek. Then I took off running home.


	4. Chapter 4

At my house, the dinner before the reaping is always "special" as my dad calls it. We talk about who we think will get reaped and who has the best chance of winning, mentors and such Hunger Games talk.

Tonight the waiters serve pork and a green tinted soup. I pick around at my meal until my mother asks about my day, "Well honey, how was training."

"Fine." I tell the dinner plate.

"What's wrong Clove."

"I had a bad day alright!" I storm out of the dining room and sprint up the spiral staircase to my bedroom. When I'm there I fling myself onto my bed and lie there till I fall asleep.

The sun on my face and the smell of bacon wake me up the next morning. Then only after I've finished filling up on my bacon and egg breakfast I realize that today is the reaping.

I sit at the edge of my bed and wonder how the day will play out. I see that at the other side of the room my reaping dress has been laid out on the side of my desk chair. The dress is a shimmery sliver, the only color besides black, white, and brown that I can stand, and it looks to only have one sleeve. I stop wondering and decide to try the dress on. It fits perfectly and it falls right above my knees. It does only have one strap and it almost looks like what they used to call a "prom dress". The dress was made in the Capitol, so it probably very expensive, and just like my mother to buy expensive clothes for one occasion and wear them once.

Right after I finished examining my new dress, my mother pops right into my room and is almost ecstatic about me trying on my reaping dress. "Oh, you look fantastic in that dress, I had it specially made for you. But more importantly how do you like it?"

"It great Mom. Thanks for getting it for me." (I try to make my mom feel like I don't hate completely her.)

"Well its great that you like it. Lunch is at noon so come down then, ok?"

"Got it." I return. I decide to go to the library on the other side of the estate. Even though I don't read, the second floor of the library has a view of District 2's Capitol Square.

On my way to the library I weave my way through the people waiting to see my father and through the maids and groundskeepers trying to keep the estate spotless. On any other day but today I would usually try to cause some trouble and spill a pitcher of orange juice on the carpet or something of that nature but today is the reaping so I try to be on my best behavior. When I arrive at the library I open the ten feet tall doors and silently walk inside. No one besides my dad ever comes in here do everything looks like it hasn't been used in fifty years. There are huge bookshelves full of ancient looking books. I walk across the big tall ceilinged room to the six feet tall windows overlooking the square. The only reason I ca me here was to see the lame peacekeepers set up the "decorations" for the reaping.(personally I think they're cheesy) Right now two of them are decorating the white marble Justice Building. Four of the peacekeepers are struggling to put up one of the big banners that display the Capitol seal. I hear breathing and I reach for the knife in my belt. "They're ridiculous, aren't they Clove." The voice I can only know is Cato's.

I turn around and try to slash him with my knife but he's to quick. "It's not very nice to sneak up on someone." I say in a playful tone. "But, on other terms are you ready to go to the Games?"

"Yea, I'm really excited. But I wish you could go with me it would be really fun to be a tribute with you." Then as soon as Cato says that the grandfather clock in the corner of the room chimes it's little song and bongs twelve times, signaling that it is time for lunch. I invite Cato to eat with us and he gladly accepts my offer.

On the patio overlooking the pool and the mountains, Cato, Mom, Dad, and I sit down for lunch. For this meal our servers bring each of us our favorite sandwiches, my favorite is a BLT. It is awkwardly silent at the outside table until I look up for a second and Cato and my eyes meet for a second and looks at his sandwich and pushes back his chair and stands, which cause my whole family to look at him. As he starts to walk away he says, "Thanks for lunch. I gotta go and get ready for the reaping, bye Clove."

I walk to the fifteen-year-old girls section and look for Cato, he's right next to the stage ready to volunteer when another boy is reaped. Then Baleana, District 2 very own escort comes onto the stage with her eight inch heels click-clacking their way to the microphone set up in the center of the stage. She reads her speech and takes her seat on the other side of the stage so she doesn't have to sit next to the victors of District 2. I see Brutus whisper something to Enobaria and she laughs really loud. I almost laugh when Baleana shoots her a dirty look. Then Mayor Penson gives his speech about the Capitol and other boring subjects.

I have this sudden impulse to get closer to the stage, so I slip out of the roped off area and sneak around the corner of the Justice Building and stay hidden, until Baleana says, "Ladies first." and I know that my time is coming. "Topaz Sparkle Shimmer."

I sprint up to the stage and say "I volunteer!"

The crowd gasps because I'm not old enough to volunteer, so I'm pretty much breaking the rules (which I'm used to). I scan the crowd and I see that Topaz has not even gotten out of the roped area, but she and Nollie are definitely steaming.

To brake the now near silence Baleana says in her disgusting Capitol accent, "What's your name and age sweets."

"Clove Ashwind. 15." I say in a semi-proud voice.

"We'll lovely Clove. Lets move onto the boys." Baleana says as moves to the boy's ball and picks out a name. "Mason Hartwhig"

Cato almost casually walks onto the stage and says, "I volunteer." and no one says anything and all they do is clap for him, even Topaz and Nollie.

Then they lead both of us into the Justice Building.


	5. Chapter 5

No sooner do I sit down inside the Justice building, my parents arrive smiling. "We did it sweetie! We made it! Our dream is finally coming true." exclaims my father.

"Let's just wait until I actaully win, okay. Don't forget Cato is a tribute this year too... but its not like I couldn't take him."

"That's my girl." In a more hushed tone, to keep my mother from hearing, he says, " But don't forget why I had you volunteer this year."

"_Father_, those are your incentives. _Mine _are to win the games. Luckliy for you though, I have to kill Cato to reach my ultimate goal. There, killing two birds with one stone."

"Of course, just win. I know you will." As he walks out, my annoying, girly girl cousin, Rockcy skips in next to my mother.

Rockcy is like the daughter my mother never had. She is a year younger than me and and couldn't throw a knife, let alone anything, to save her life.

"Clove," my mother practically bubbles, "look what Rockcy and I designed for you!" I look on Rockcy's oversized T shirt and see a very airbrushed picture of me with make up and the smiling mouth that obviously belonged to Rockcy photoshopped onto my face. It's bordered with flowers and song birds. At the bottom, with the most outragiously curliest cursive font in the world it says:

**Clove, Victor of the 74th Annual Hunger Games.**

"See Clove," says Rockcy,"you can even wear it as a dress, a coverup, a crop top, or the 57 other styles I invented!"

"Isn't it perfect!" gushes my mother.

"Yeah _wonderful." _I say sarcastically.Being so bored, I purposely spill some water on a side table.

I take the shirt Rockcy gave me and used it to mop up the spill. "It makes a pretty good towel too. I guess you have 58 ways to use it now."

before my mother can squeak at me for being mean to Rockcy, the Peacekeepers escort them out, and me to the train station.

I board the train and look out the window. I spot Topaz Sparkle Shimmer in the crowd, and she sees me and gives me many obnoxious hand signals. I return them and go into killer mode. Cato needs to know that I'm in it to win it. Best friends never come out of the Hunger Games alive together.

I spot him as the train starts departing. On the way to the sitting room where we have to met up with our escort, I stop him.

"Cato, I just wanted to tell you-"

"No. I know everything I needed to know when you volunteered. You knew that I was going fight this year. Leave it to you to mess everything up."

"Cato." I try and call, but he's gone.


	6. Chapter 6

When I turn around to go to the seating on the other side of the train car, I decide to go talk to Cato. I have to walk about five feet onto the car, where Cato disapeared to, to find the door marked **Cato: District 2 Male Tribute**. Without even nocking I walk right in and I see him just sitting on the couch looking out the window. He looks kind of broken, even though he's not the type to look sad. He looks at me and says, "What do you want Clove."

"I just want to say, was kind of crazed at that moment,it was an impulse, I couldn't control myself. I wish I hadent of said anything, I'm sorry Cato."

"We'll theres nothing we can do now," Cato said with no emotion.

I couldn't see him like this, he obviously cares about me in ways I don't even understand, so i left the room and walked silently down to the car to the room with my name on it. When I arrive at my room it looks exactly like Cato's room but flipped so everything is on the opposite side of the room. All of the furniture is decked out in Capitol style. The bed is almost as big as my bed at home, even considering were on a train. The couch in the room is red velvet with a flower and vine design in gold thread but on one arm there is a white piece of paper folded with nothing written on the outside of the note. I walk over to the couch and pick up the note and it reads:

Meet me in the last car in 20

minutes.

~Enobaria

I decide I need to go it may give me an edge in the Games to talk privately with my mentor instead of always being watched by the Capitol. I wind my way through the big train and finally find myself in the last train car. There's not a soul in sight. I wait casually in the train car and she finally arrives. She sits on the bench in the car oppoiste me and just stares at me like she's sizing me up to get up in fight me. After a long while she eventually says, "I see we have a little trouble maker here. I can definitely work with that. So I've read up on your skills from your record at the Academy and you seem pretty consistent." She seems serious but, it hard to take her seriously because her teeth are all razor sharp. "Whats do you think should be your angle? I was thinking clever, deadly killer girl."

"That sounds good." I answer, not wanting to sound to intimidated, even though I am. She laughs and smiles pointy teeth and all and I try to laugh along without seeming to awkward. My sad attempt makes her laugh even harder. I feel the train starting to slow down and I can tell that she also knows were nearing the Capitol.

She gets up and says, "I see you at dinner Clove, and you got a good chance of winning but, watch out for your boyfriend district partner." She laughs a little more because she see that I'm really mad and then walks to the main car of the train.


	7. Chapter 7

When I step off the train, I try not to look impressed. But it's so hard. I look over to Cato who got out another door. He looks like he's having trouble keeping his amazement in too. He catches me looking at him and gives me a frown. It seems to inspire him to go along with the whole "professional killer" personality he's been going for.

We step into the huge glass elevator and I look down. The relative luxury in District 2 can't even compare to the Capitol. If I'm impressed, I wonder what the impoverished losers from the other Districts must be feeling.

The ride is short since we are only on the second floor. Enobaria pushes me in the direction of my room which is at the very end of a hallway. I notice that Cato's is directly opposite mine, on the other extreme of the hallway going opposite mine. Enorbaria whispers something to Cato while they both watch me. I can see Cato getting angry with whatever she's telling him. He tries to push her away, but with her sharp fingernails, she pins him against the wall at arms length and growls something I can't understand from where I'm standing, and then lets him go.

"Guess you're the favorite this year." A voice from behind me says. A tall thin man, obviously from the capital with his hair died pink and tattoos that resemble comic strips on his arms. "I'm your stylist—" I slam the door in his face before he can finish. I don't feel like talking to anymore Capitol freaks today.

I turn on my television to watch the reapings in other districts. The hosts are now going over the District 12. "Oh and we have yet another girl volunteer! Similar to the case in District 2. What was her name? Clover Ashton or some sort?"

"Oh you are too funny Claudius!" the female hosts gushes in her Capitol accent. "I do agree. Usually we only have a few girl volunteers from the beginning districts. I sense that these girls may be playing by the same game plan!"

I shut off the TV, furious. Are they seriously comparing me to that District 12 wimp? I want to take my anger out on someone. And then it clicks. I am mad at Cato. I'm mad at him for being mad at me. He has no right to blame me for what I did. If he didn't want me to crash his Hunger Games then he didn't have to volunteer. He already knew I was in it, but he was the one who got himself in the mess.

I stomp down the hall outraged, on a direct bee line to Cato's room. I need to give him a piece of my mind. I'm about to reach for the doorknob when someone grabs me by the back of my shirt and pulls me back.

"Where do you think you're going?" says a vicious but controlled voice. I know instantly who it is. Enobaria.

I attempt to turn to face her, but her grip on my collar just tightens. "Just going for a walk—" I struggle to say as her fingernails dig a little deeper into my back.

Enobaria whispers harshly into my ear, her voice cold and sharp, "Let's just get one thing straight. You're here to kill people, not to get a boyfriend. You better end whatever there is between you and Cato before I do."

"There's nothing-"

"And I don't want to hear anything about this again. Are we clear?"

My cheeks are red with anger now, but I manage to push that down and nod.

"Don't let me catch you sneaking around again. Now go get ready for dinner." She jerks so I'm facing the other direction and gives me a little push. She just stands there smirking like our little conversation never happened.

"I like you Clove. You remind me of myself. Don't you disappoint me."


	8. Chapter 8

Later in the day we go to the Remake Center, even though Cato and I are clean and not disgusting like the other non- career districts, we have to meet our stylists. I find myself sitting in a clean white room with bright blue couches and one wall of glass that shows a view of the Capitol. After a few minutes of waiting in the room I am greeted by a middle aged man only wearing shades of orange, in a very Capitol style, his long orange wig and his almost girlish high heels make me want to gag. But, I try to make a good impression. "You must be Clove, I'm Dimeatra, I'm going to be your stylist for your time here in the Capitol."

I grit my teeth and swallow my urge to strangle him for his disgusting Capitol accent, I open my mouth to say something and he continues like I don't even exist. After about five minutes of me not listening he finally finishes his 'conversation' with me. "Wow Clove you really are stunning lets start trying on my designs." He calls my prep team into the room and gives them the pile of costumes. I reluctantly answer their calls and follow them into the dressing room.

I am placed into a costume that resembles a gladiator that we probably learned about in history class. It is gold in color and it consists of a gold chest plate with an a design meant to look like chain mail and a metal feathery collar. The skirt is strips of designed leather pointed at the tips and gold gladiator sandals with the straps going up to my knee. When Dimeatra walks in to the all wooden room he circles me probably admiring his handiwork. He turns on his heels and declares, "I think this is it, I must tell Kattinea of my amazing discovery! She's going to be very excited!"

I just stand there and wait for futher instructions from my prep team. As soon as he leaves Baleana pops her overly styled head into the room and says very enthusiastically, "Well we don't want to be late right Clove? Let's get a move on!" She leads me and my prep team through the white room and down a hallway to an elevator to a level that's labeled 'basement/stable'. Once we're down at the floor we find Cato, his prep team, his mentor, Enobaria, and someone who I assume is Kattinea. Behind them is our black chariot that is led by two black horses. We are told to get in and I hear trumpets behind the huge stable doors the horses automatically get into a line us in the second spot. The doors open, music starts to play and our horses start to walk through the stable doors.


End file.
